2016 Benham Salts Reunion

The 25th annual reunion of the USS Benham will
be held in Pittsburg, PA September 12 - 17, 2017 at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel 500 Mansfield Ave, Pittsburg, PA 15205. The cost of $120/night includes a hot buffet breakfast and parking. Call 412-922-8400 to get your reservation. Be sure to tell them you are with the USS Benham group.

Square that hat and salute Old Glory matey, then come aboard for another cruise on the USS Benham, a cruise down memory lane. One designed to renew old friendships and kinships, to bring back memories of those things that were special, and so much a part of our lives, as together we sailed the seas of the known....and the unknown. A critical voyage for many of us who came aboard as boys, and went home as men. And to those who did not make it back home, a special "hello" to their families...with hope that by some means they will learn of this site and be able to read of the Benham history and know that their loved ones are not forgotten by their shipmates.

This is the web site of the Destroyers USS Benhams DD796, DD397 and DD49 and of the various crew members who graced their decks during their lifetimes. This page is designed much as a scrap book, no frames or tables to complicate printing the pages for filing in a scrapbook. Permission to reproduce any and all parts of this site for other than commercial purposes is given. Material to reproduce and publish on this page is solicited. Any photos or documents anyone can lend will be scanned and returned.

This WEB Site is Dedicated to the Memory of John Sharpe

The USS Benham web page was an undertaking started several years ago by our crew member John Sharpe. He passed the web page several years ago with the knowledge that he was not able to keep it up due to health problems. It was with deep regret when John Sharpe passed away on Feb. 27, 2004 after a long illness. It is our hope that this web site will be a fitting memorial to a man with vision and with much effort developed a web page when the Internet was just begining to be a household word. It was his interest in bringing together his shipmates that this site continues.
May God welcome you John and peace be with your family. Thanks from all your shipmates for a job well done.

We want to take this opportunity to give a belated "well done" to Dick Spangler for the great job he has done over the years. Much of the printed material came from the "Benham Salts" and having researched material now have a great deal of respect for the effort extended in his gathering of information for publication in our newsletter.

While this is the homepage of the Benham Salts it also contains information relating to activities and functions of the WWII Plankowner/crew member Association and also the DD397 Association. Thanks to Don Moshier and Bob Frank for providing the information. Data for all groups can be found on the Association page.

Please note that we had a memorial page (In process of being rebuilt after the YAHOO teardown) for our shipmates who are deceased. Please forward any information relating to past shipmates you may know of and review the page when you visit.